17 replies to this topic

[Indy Orange]

Anyone know what happened to the huge Hamilton press at the Woodville plant?

[S pack]

Relocated to Elizabeth perhaps?

[Indy Orange]

Interested to know if its still around.

[Shiney005]

Rare Spares bought a few of them in the early days, but didn't run them for long as they found it too expensive.

[N/A-PWR]

Look's like there were two, the 720 and the 1000 ton presses:-

 

 

not sure if they were both at Woodville

[Shiney005]

Looking at those photos, the time frame is obviously way too early for anything that Rares would have bought. 

[Shiney005]

I have only just looked at the video link. Good to see Oc Health and Safety on the wharf in those days.

It looks like the late 30s so I would think the bodies were for Chevs.

 

 

You wouldn't want to get your fingers caught in one of these things.

 

 5077-a2d7-51e7-9ec3-ebac7804076c.jpg   121K   5 downloads

 

Door Presses.

 5fc4-b584-5b5c-bded-5b22b1d6c385.jpg   40.67K   4 downloads

 

Die for roof press.

 9e4b-5a61-5922-bae8-06976b2725db.jpg   62.65K   2 downloads

 

Pattern for roof press.

 e6e7-e58e-5dba-b461-8ab354c19148.jpg   83.29K   3 downloads

Edited by Shiney005, 23 May 2016 - 02:28 PM.

[Indy Orange]

Awesome machines. 

[RallyRed]

Rare Spares bought a few of them in the early days, but didn't run them for long as they found it too expensive.

wow....that doesnt suprise me at all...imagine the overhead of running one of those monsters, not to mention the little tweaks and secrets that made them work properly ( that  only 75y.o. Cecil, the nightshift mechanical fitter  fom Adelaide,or where ever, knew about).

[rodomo]

( that only 75y.o. Cecil, the nightshift mechanical fitter fom Adelaide,or where ever, knew about).

Yep, where I did my apprenticeship the machines were 50+ years old when I started.
The "big" lathe was operated by an older Italian that knew what he had to do to correct and drive it.

[Indy Orange]

Another of the Hamilton press .punching out what looks like 48-215 or FJ floor pans .  IMG_6763.JPG   53.71K   5 downloads

[Indy Orange]

sorry have to turn your head.

[N/A-PWR]

 Hamilton Press.jpg   105.18K   3 downloads

adjusted for you.

[Indy Orange]

Cheers 

[S pack]

Far out. Did you see in the vid at 6.33 min where some of the chains let go. Watch the shadow on the building of the chain whipping around and the blokes with the pushies running & ducking for cover.

 

Lucky no one was killed. Although we can't see what happened behind the huge piece of press.

[UCANG]

Far out. Did you see in the vid at 6.33 min where some of the chains let go. Watch the shadow on the building of the chain whipping around and the blokes with the pushies running & ducking for cover.

 

Lucky no one was killed. Although we can't see what happened behind the huge piece of press.

 

I saw that too.. surely someones ear was sliced clean off lol!

 

Dangerous times indeed.

 

But super sweet seeing big machinery with old technology. I'm even amazed at the trucks they had back then hauling those monsters.

 

Must ask my dad whether he remembers what happened to the presses, he did his apprenticeship at Woodville and was around during the move to the 'Buff. Also would be interested to know what the general cafeteria talk about the presses were back in those days.

[Indy Orange]

Yeah please ask Ang,would be good finding out and hearing some stories.

[yel327]

Far out. Did you see in the vid at 6.33 min where some of the chains let go. Watch the shadow on the building of the chain whipping around and the blokes with the pushies running & ducking for cover.

 

Lucky no one was killed. Although we can't see what happened behind the huge piece of press.

 

Compared to the Steelworks working around that press would be safe! Most people here would be horrified if they could tap into my or others that worked at a Steelworks memories. Some things that were accepted as normal even in the 90's would surprise most!